The Learning Center

Books, websites, podcasts and more! All of the best sources for learning about r/nolawn topics. If you know of a good source not listed on this page, please message the mods (here) and be sure to explain why you believe it fits here.

• The Living Landscape by Rick Darke and Doug Tallamy (2014)
• Nature's Best Hope by Doug Tallamy (2020)
• The Nature of Oaks by Doug Tallamy (2021)
• Prairie Up! by Benjamin Vogt (2023)
• Native Plants of the Midwest by Allan Branhagen (2016)
• Native Plants of the Southeast by Larry Mellichamp (2014)
• Gaia's Garden by Toby Hemenway (2009)
• Eco-Yards:Simple Steps to Earth-Friendly Landscapes by Laureen Rama (2011)
• The Humane Gardener: Nurturing a Backyard Habitat for Wildlife by Nancy Lawson
• A Sand County Almanac by Aldo Leopold (1949)
• The Reference Manual of Woody Plant Propagation by Michael A. Dirr and Charles W. Heuser Jr.
• Tapestry Lawns: Freed from Grass and Full of Flowers by Lionel Smith (2019)
• Perennials for the Southwest: Plants That Flourish in Arid Gardens by Mary Irish (2006)

• USDA Plant Database
• Native Habitat Project
• Wild Ones Find a Chapter near you to continue your No Lawns journey
• Doug Tallamy The Nature of Oaks Interview - All about Oak Trees
• A Home Grown National Park
• The Humane Gardener
• Native Plant Finder (U.S.)
• Wild Ones Garden Designs (Includes most US regions)
• Keystone Plants by Eco Region National Wildlife Foundation

TikTok

• Grass Lands Guy
• Native Plant Tok

Instagram

• Native Habitat Project
• Adam Black

YouTube

• Growit Buildit for native plant propagation and gardening.
• Crime Pays But Botany Doesn't for botany education.
• In Defense of Plants for botany education.
• A Soil Science Masterclass with Dr. Elaine InghamPt 1/4

Groups

• Conservation district/society
• Native Plant Society
  • US List
• Master Gardener
• Heritage Gardening Groups
• Wild Ones Chapter
• Planting Groups

Other

• Seed Banks or Seed Library
• Plant Exchanges
• Gardening Meet Ups
• Tool Library

Please message the mods here if you have any good resources and links for your country

• Australia - Plant Hardiness Zones
• Australia - Native Plants
• Australia - Botanical Garden Database
• Africa - Native Plant Database
• Europe - Euro+Med Plantbase Project
• New Zealand - Department of Conservation Native Plants List
• New Zealand - Flora's Native Plant Database

• Plant Hardiness Zones
• Royal Horticultural Society's Native Plant Database
• Royal Horticultural Society - planting a wildflower meadow guide
• RSPB - Planting a wildflower meadow guide
• Landlife Wildflowers - Native Plant Supplier
• Natural History Museum - How to grow a better lawn for wildlife
• The Woodland Trust - Native trees for wildlife
• Real Seeds - Natural and heirloom fruit and vegetable seeds

• United States - Broken up by State w/Additional US Resources and Zone Maps (Reddit link)
• USDA Plants Database
• United States & Canada - Pollinator Conservation Resource
• BONAP Native Plants Atlas
• GrowNative for the Lower Midwest
• BP Plant Database Plant Ecology and Identification (for North America)

• Canada - Interactive Plant Hardiness Zones
• Canada - Plant Hardiness Zones
• Canada's Plant Hardiness Site
• Tree Planting Guide Tree Canada
• Eco Regional Planting Guide
• Canadian Council on Invasive Species

• Prepping for wildflowers via r/gardenwild (reddit link)
• Mulches: The Good, The Bad, and The Really, Really Ugly
• Sheet Mulching, Grass to Garden Video
• Intro to Permaculture Book
• How to Make a Bee Friendly Garden
• Native Turf: A New Lawn Guide from the city of Ames, Iowa
• The Ultimate Winter Sowing Guide
• California -Cal Scape Video
• How to: Clover Lawn
• Rewilding your lawn or garden? First, get to know it - Rewilding Mag

Please note: We're overhauling this section and creating a beginners guide, it just takes a lot of time and research. Please message the mods if you have anything you'd love to add!

1. Research! - Learn everything you can, use the resources below and ask questions.
2. Plan it - What is your goal, what do you want to see?

• Talk to your local conservation/native plants society/master gardener etc. to get more information.
• Check out Wild Ones Garden Designs or any other garden designer to help you plan
• Do more research on plants for your yard, pick natives avoid invasive, make sure they'll work in your space

1. Start small - You don't have to do the entire yard, start with one garden bed and learn from your mistakes.
2. Remove what you don't need - Remove anything that isn't staying, grass, weeds, invasive species etc.
3. Get to planting! - Talk to your local conservation/native plants society/master gardener or nursery to figure out the best time to plant, and the best way to plant each type of plant in your space
4. Maintenance - Follow the advice for your plants to maintain them through their first year. If they're native, you'll generally have less maintenance over time.
5. Enjoy! - Seriously, you did it, it's beautiful, enjoy it before you decide to take on another project.
6. Share your experience - Help others learn from you, did you make a mistake? Share it so other people can avoid it. Did you learn something really cool? Let us know, make a post. Share some before and afters and let us know how long it took and what steps you took.